a material made of cellulose pulp derived mainly from wood or rags or certain grasses
"The artist carefully selected high-quality paper for her sketch because its unique texture and durability were essential for the detailed charcoal work."
an essay (especially one written as an assignment)
"he got an A on his composition"
a scholarly article describing the results of observations or stating hypotheses
"he has written many scientific papers"
a business firm that publishes newspapers
"Murdoch owns many newspapers"
A sheet material used for writing on or printing on (or as a non-waterproof container), usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water.
"She carefully folded the crisp paper into an origami crane before tucking it inside her pocket."
In plain English: Paper is a thin material made from wood pulp that you can write on or print things with.
"I need to buy some paper for the printer."
Usage: Use "paper" to refer to thin sheets of manufactured material used for writing, printing, or wrapping items like food. Do not use it interchangeably with digital documents or electronic files.
To apply paper to.
"The technician carefully applied paper to the damaged section of the wall before painting over it."
In plain English: To paper something means to cover its surface with sheets of paper.
"I need to paper the walls before we paint them."
Usage: Do not use "paper" as a verb in modern American English; instead, say "hang wallpaper" or simply "wallpaper." The only common usage where it functions as a verb is the specific act of covering walls with decorative sheets.
Made of paper.
"She accidentally tore her ticket because she tried to fold it while it was still made of paper."
In plain English: Paper means something that is written on or printed with ink.
"She received a paper invitation to the wedding."
Usage: Use "paper" as an adjective only when describing something specifically constructed from paper material, such as paper bags or paper plates. Avoid using it to describe documents or written work unless the physical medium itself is the focus.
The word "paper" comes from the Latin papȳrus, which originally referred to the papyrus plant. It entered English through Old Catalan and Anglo-Norman, ultimately tracing back to the Ancient Greek pápuros.